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What is EDC, or everyday carry? Maybe you’ve heard this term here, as we do have an entire section devoted to EDC tools. Or maybe you’ve heard it elsewhere. At one point or another, everyone new to EDC seeks to better understand what it means.

Everyday carry is a very broad category that encompasses the tools, gear, or supplies you might carry around on a daily or semi-regular basis. A quick Google image search of “EDC Gear” will show you a wide range of possibilities, including pocket knives, multi-tools, pocketable tools, watches, wallets, tool pouches, pens, pencils, notebooks, and all manners of other types of stuff.

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A lot of people will look up “EDC” or “Everyday carry” and will be satisfied with a quick answer. A reader wrote in with a much tougher question, where he basically asks WHY. That’s a tough question because there’s no single answer. Everyone carries different tools or gear with them for different reasons.

Jotham wrote in:

After reading your latest knife review [Brous Blades Bionic 2.0], I realize that I need some education for myself. I love the concept of EDC and knives in general but I don’t seem to encounter the same situations y’all do.

I’m probably a few steps above the typical DIY homeowner and as such, and I own a fair amount of decent to great tools. When I need to open a box, I use a box cutter/scissors/key, when I need to use a screwdriver, I pull out one of the many good screwdrivers I have, ditto for nut drivers etc. When I visit somebody, if I know I need to do some work at their place, I throw together a quick toolbox of what I’ll likely need.

Is it just that I’m not in the field all the time like many of your readers? It hasn’t been my impression that any knife or multi-tool comes close to the actual real tool so I really only bring multi-tools/knives on camping trips and such.

Please educate me (or maybe a blog post) as to why you use some form of compact tool as opposed to the full blown tools that I know you have?

P.S. I own a Leatherman Wave that I never use even though I think it is beautiful. I also don’t like to carry stuff unnecessarily (weight, bulk) which is kinda funny given that I’m over 6 ft and could carry pretty much anything on my person.

Keep in mind that a lot of people EDC for different reasons. A mountain biker might have a small cargo pouch to stash tools and emergency gear in. An office worker might regularly need a couple of tools that will be immediately borrowed if left in a desk drawer. A technician might want to travel light and spare the weight of full-size tools that wouldn’t be used often. An engineer might prefer their a couple of carryable tools rather than having to make their way to a toolbox every time they need a tool.

My wife has a couple of EDC items in her purse – an E01 LED flashlight (one of several fantastic mini EDC tools I recently wrote about), and a Victorinox classic Swiss Army Knife, with both attached to her keyring. She also has a small crystal-filled Swarovski pen in there. I made sure she also has a larger (2) AA LED flashlight that she keeps in her desk drawer at work, but that’s not really EDC.

A lot of EDC tools are about maximum function in minimal space. That’s because users are more likely to carry a tool that fits on their keychain than one that has to be carried in a separate tool pouch or tool bag. EDC tools are often compact and sized for a pocket or small pouch, but that isn’t an exclusive requirement. Full size tools can still be part of someone’s EDC.

Although EDC is about everyday carry, I use the term to loosely include all of the different types of gear I carry or would carry or travel with on at least a semi-regular basis. If it’s a one-time kit, it’s not really EDC to me.

My son is nearing his first birthday, and traveling with him anywhere often requires that I carry around a diaper bag. These days my diaper bag is a sling-style Mobius VPacker (purchased from JSBurlys), and sometimes a Diaper Dude Messenger (purchased from Amazon). I can fit a couple of EDC tools that I think I might need, no problem. Full-size tools? Not really, at least not without taking up valuable space and increasing the total weight unneedingly.

If anything, I pack compact scissors and a small flashlight. For day trips or overnight visits to family, I might carry a multi-tool, pocket knife, or other EDC gear. Pliers or scissors are often needed for opening and freeing new toys that we bring or receive. Once my son is a little bigger, I’ll start EDCing a small first aid kit. There’s one in my car, but what if we walk to a playground or are far from where we parked, and he scrapes a knee?

Full-size tools would require an additional tool pouch of some kind, but why go to such lengths unnecessarily?

2 months ago, we went on an overnight trip to visit family. Because we left our high chair home, we stopped on the road and bought a small Fisher Price travel-friendly high chair to take with us. It requires a Phillips screwdriver for assembly, which I had thanks to whatever Leatherman multi-tool I carried that day. A multi-tool screwdriver or compact screwdriver is often better than not having any screwdriver.

Some EDC tool decisions are based on need, or anticipated need. It’s worth highlighting again that it’s often better to have a compact tool than no tool, at least if you think there might be a need for such functionality.

Other EDC decisions will be more personal. Why wear that watch? Carry that knife? Write with that pen and notepad?

See, I told you that asking Why is a tough question. Do any of you have a better answer?

38 Comments

For me its just the idea that ” I can if I need to”. With just a few basic items that I carry in my skinth or clipped to my pocket I can take care of minor things without having to go look for the “real” tool to do it. My wife always asks me if I have my pocket knife on me for something, or as I get older and my sight bugs me a bit I find when Im looking around for something in an area that is not well lit a small flash light is readily available without a trip to the garage. I have a collapsible pen that I always use at the ready. I can even carry some antacids in a small delrin capsule for occasional indigestion. My point is that it just makes life easier to take care of simple things immediately instead of looking for what I need somewhere in the house. For the big jobs I get the big tools.

My EDC stuff is about when it takes less time to do something with what I have on hand vs how long it would take me to get to my real tools. I have a flashlight in every room in the house that I’m in, because it’s in my pocket. It happens on a regular basis that I’m 100 yards from my tool box, but I need a screwdriver that I didn’t know I needed when I left my tool box.

It’s like having a cell phone with access to the internet. Sure, I could go to a computer and lookup whatever I need, but I have this handy device that sits in my pocket at all times that will cover 80% of what I need to do on a computer. I survived for a long time without a smartphone, a multitool, or a pocket flashlight, but these things make my life much easier.

I’d love to expand on those bits about new fatherhood and preparing for child woes. I seriously thought about a tool bag for use instead of a normal diaper bag we got as a gift. but I couldn’t quite get there, so I opted for a back pack. but that’s a whole other thread.

as an engineer that works in an office and an aircraft hangar – I keep a leatherman wave on me most of the time – and that includes away from home in general.

small flash light – check. I carry it often at work in the hangar – but not in the office (we have emergency lights).

headlamps – in both cars – not EDC but whatever.

and I hate to say this but my main EDC is my smartphone. optioned with the right apps, and some usefulness it can be amazing. I have a samsung note 3, so yes I’m one of the few people that uses the stylus and notepad apps. voice to text is very handy. but it’s also a map, a light, a camera, a video cam, etc etc . . . . . In fact I once use the smartphone to look up a schematic while I used my leather man to fix a wire harness on a trailer while at state park in AL.

For me, a small Victorinox classic (with tweezer) on key ring was a necessity since kids always found a way to have splinters in the worst moment, like shopping center. Bonus, it also have plastic toothpick for after ribs @Scores dinner :). I also have a small Genesis nano led streamlight for when they dropped their small precious toys under low light restaurant table.

I once carry the Swiss Tech Utili-Key 6 in 1 long time ago but the Victorinox classic has replaced it.

When I’m away from home for anymore than an hour or two or three, I’m not consistent, I carry my “get home” bag. In that bag I carry a first aid kit, energy bars, a way to start a fire, a way to signal, a way to navigate, and water. I also carry a head lamp and gloves. The reason I carry this is to make the eventful occurrence as uneventful as possible. So far the only thing I’ve used from the first aid kit is band aids. I carry water all the time to keep from getting dehydrated. This last weekend the water I carried was for my whole family, we used 1.5 liters one of the two days. That was besides water bottles in an ice chest we also had. A month ago we had a flat tire at 10 PM on the freeway. A tire defect in which the entire tread belt left the steel belts and the side walls. With my head lamp and gloves this was trivial. I also have a small air compressor in the car. As the spare tire was low. I’ve also had a five hour drive turn into a ten hour drive due to weather. It was nice to have water and energy bars with us.

take it back to the tire place that you bought the tire and they should throw a new one on for free. That was a tread separation and it may have been a defect from the tire manufacture. If there is any damage to your car they may pay for it to be fixed.

But im sure since it was a month ago you already got it taken care of.

Thanks for a well thought out post. Lots of great ideas in the post and responses. I thought I would add that there are two great communities that discuss EDC and multitools. For EDC visit edcforums.com/forum/ . For multitools visit forums.multitools.org . Both have very active members and can provide weeks of background reading if you’re not careful!

My EDC is a Leatherman Squirt. Actually, I have two Squirts, a PS4 and an ES4, in different colors so I can tell which is which. I carry the PS4 (pliers version) when I’m out and about, and often carry the ES4 (wire stripper version) when I am working in the shop. The Squirts are small enough that I always have one with me, but have sufficient size and multiplicity of tools that I can get a surprising number of tasks done without looking for heavier firepower. I find that the scissors are used most often, with the knife blade and half-Philips screwdriver in second and third place.

This is a fascinating topic. I agree with Jotham in the sense that if I have the choice to use a good quality single use tool that does one thing well, I would rather use that than a multi-tool which inherently is full of design compromises. But I also understand that a toolbox is not always within easy reach, so I used to carry a multi-tool around with me at all times. I eventually stopped carrying multi-tools with me since I used to travel frequently and I got tired of forgetting I had it on my keychain or in my pocket and kept having to throw them away when I went through the airport. Has anyone else given up their EDC for the same reason?

Yes!! I used to carry a swiss army knife with pliers (my favorite) in my backpack at all times but i ended up losing it to the TSA. It was a very frustrating experience that led me to be cautious about keeping tools in my backpacks at all times.

I don’t fly a ton but I do fly at least 4 times a year which is just enough to get me into trouble with this kind of habit.

For the last several years, when I fly I carry a modified Victorinox keychain knife onboard airliners with no problems. The mod is that I have cut the knife blade off! I use the scissors far more often, and the tweezers and pick and file are sometimes useful. It’s been closely inspected by TSA agents and even gotten some positive comments.

That’s a great mod. I might have to give it a try. Although I might have to have someone else do the modding, since I don’t think I have it in me to break or cut off an otherwise perfectly good blade. I do have a spare Victorinox that I can try that on. I am surprised they allow the scissors, but if they do allow them then it might be worth a try.

My life seems to be more, uh, predictable than some of the other readers. I recognize the need to keep a few tools around me at all times, but my concept of EDC is not to carry them in my pants pocket or attached to my belt. I used to have a Leatherman in a belt sheath on my hip for field use while traveling, but I never used it, so I stopped.

I keep a few items (tape measure, magnetic pickup tool, ratcheting screwdriver and hex wrenches) in a supply cabinet next to the computer if I need it/them. There’s a tool drawer in the kitchen with a good supply of other tools; there’s my tool cabinets in the garage, a tool bag (“go bag”) up in my bedroom with all kinds of screwdrivers, cutters, files, pliers and general-use tools, as well as others in my clothes closet there. There’s a cache of like items in a cardboard box in my car’s trunk and in our other vehicle for roadside emergencies, including one of the newer mini jump starters.

I guess we all do what we think is necessary, including EDC. I just don’t carry small versions of regular tools on my person; I DO keep things close at hand, however. I’m normally covered for a range of repair scenarios wherever I am. Admittedly, I don’t travel much, so the need to select a few choice items to take along with me isn’t an issue. I used to carry a 3-1/4″ long Buck pocket knife in my jeans, but I only needed it for cutting fruit or opening a package that came in the mail. I stopped because that wasn’t happening often enough to justify an uncomfortable bulge in my watch pocket. That, and the TSA would confiscate it at the airport, so why keep giving away a $30 knife several times a year?

I’m not saying my views or habits are more correct than anyone else’s. I’m probably older than many of the other readers, which means I’ve had more time to think this through. Instead, I’m suggesting there are other ways to deal with the situation. I challenge you to sort through your daily needs and be realistic about what you need to carry with you 24/7; it may not be as much as you think.

This is exactly the way I currently deal with things. I have caches of tools everywhere including headlamps/flashlights. Heck, I’ve bought tools for close friends and family to ensure that they have a cache if I need it to repair their stuff.

I just kept reading about EDC and couldn’t figure out what I was missing out on. I love tools, I want an excuse to have more of them but since my tool needs are usually predictable, I couldn’t justify the concept for myself.

I should probably add that I am really rethinking the fire starting and some of the navigation stuff since I’m not camping as much as I used to. As for airports, I carry a pocket knife, a Leatherman Wave and a flashlight all the time, I actually remove them a couple of days before I fly so I’m used to not having them. If I stayed in a location for more than 48 hours and had flown they would be in checked bags.

Here’s the reason my Leatherman has a permanent place in the glove box of my car: I got it as a present, and realized I would never, ever, reach for it, if I left it in my home. So it sits in my car and, yes, I do use it now and then, mostly the pliers. I never take it with me on a hike, either (it’s just too dang heavy). I have an EDC-ish knife I usually pocket when hiking, somehow convincing myself that it’s better than nothing if confronted by a mountain lion.

I need to do this. I currently have my Leatherman in one of my house drawers, basically the most useless place ever. Thanks to you, I am now moving it to my 4Runner where it might actually get some use.

The way I put it is this: EDC is Everyday Carry. Whatever you put on your person EVERY DAY is your EDC. It doesn’t matter what it is, or why. YOU have to dictate what you need, not someone else.

How do you know what you need? Why do other people have such extensive EDC when you don’t? Easy. The answer to both is that everyone tries new stuff to solve their every day problems. Whether that be a frustration because you never have a Pen on you when you need it, or you have a daily routine where you go do something that requires a specific tool, you develop a set of THINGS that you carry with you to do that.

So you don’t use your Leatherman Wave very often due to bulk. Okay, but consider any times you’ve said to yourself “I wish I had my (X) for when I do this every day.” Would carrying your Leatherman Wave solve that? If so, start carrying it. If not? Don’t. If you NEVER encounter a time when you regret not having something on you? You’re already Carrying Everything you need on a Daily basis. And that’s your EDC.

My EDC is pretty simple. I have a Leatherman Style CS and a Style PS, which I’ve modded so that the knife is on the Pliers (PS) and the Scissors are with the bigger pair of Scissors (CS) giving me a pair of scissors, and a PRECISION pair of scissors on the same tool, and a mini multi-tool along side for opening letters and boxes, and grabbing the odd small item. I carry a Flashlight that is actually a 2600 mAh USB backup power supply for my phone and MP3 player, and I have a Fisher Bullet Space Pen (Matte Black) for those times when I need to sign something, or jot something down. I’ve just started taking a Stylus for my Phone with me as well, and I suppose my Phone is now in my EDC, but that’s a very basic EDC for me.

When I go out the door, I load up some kleenex just in case, my wallet and keys, and usually my MP3 player, but that’s it. Basic EDC. I can expand it if I’m going somewhere I NEED more, I add MY Leatherman Wave, or my Leatherman Raptor if I think I need them, and I have a Bottle Carabeener from Lee Valley to hold a bottle of water if I need it.

But none of that matters. What matters is that YOU carry the things that YOU need every day. Those things that you keep saying to yourself “I wish I had this with me when I go out” on a regular basis. It doesn’t matter if it’s a pen, or a chainsaw. What matters is you need it, and you have what you need to carry it. Within reason, of course. If you’re carrying around a Chainsaw, and your job is as a Flight Attendant, there will probably be issues. Use your best judgement, obviously.

That’s pretty much how I feel too. It’s nice to see here other people experience and learn from them though. I always pick up a new tips every now and then to incorporate into my personal life.

Except my phone, and even that is not even on me 100% of the time I don’t really have a lot of EDC. I do have a few EDC kits that I carry with me when I am out and about. I usually have a a few EDC kit for the car because 9 out of 10 I am out somewhere I will have my car with me and it’s an easy carry.

Usually a Leatherman at a minimum along with a small hammer and an inexpensive precision screwdriver kit. The precision screwdriver kit is helpful especially at birthday party for kid when there is a toy need to be assembly. It’s crazy the kind of screwdriver that you need to install the batteries on some of those toys.

I know people whose EDC includes several full-sized or military-grade Leatherman Tools, plus a Flashlight, Screwdriver set, Pen and Paper, and a separate knife or other weapon just in case. These people aren’t exactly “Macho”, they simply need these things on their person every day.

There are days, even a period of several months, where I carried my Style CS and PS, as well as my Wave and Raptor, plus a flashlight, and a pair of Nitrile Gloves just in case. That’s just what I needed every day at the time. That was my EDC. The common denominators are always my Wallet, Keys, and some Kleenex. I have allergies, plus my family has a history of runny noses from air or temperature changes, so it’s just a MUST for me. It has nothing to do with being proud of it, and it has nothing to do with showing off, but Kleenex is DEFINITELY in my EDC at all times.

I know people whose EDC is more than just their pockets, it includes a backpack, or a tool box. I know a couple of people who have day-specific EDC, or job-specific EDC. These people are construction workers, and everything they carry makes sense for them to have it.

If you want to be blunt about it, your EDC is a kind of Man-Purse. Even if you’re talking Women, or Gay Men, your EDC is your Man-Purse. It’s not necessarily what you need to look good, or what you need to feel good, and it’s not about showing off that you have it, like many Women do about their actual purses, or Men do about their Briefcases, both being about carrying a certain high-end brand. What matters is the CONTENTS, and how you use them every day. And, in this sense, your EDC is the same as everyone’s EDC, regardless of who, or what, you are. Your gender, your orientation, your race, your job, none of that is a consideration. Only what you need to Carry on you Every Day.

Of course, I mean no offense to anyone, in any way. I’m just trying to give a perspective on what actually matters to EDC.

Regarding kids EDC. My new EDC that goes into any family backpack or car is definitely wipes and ideally ziploc bags. I can probably survive without a philips screwdriver but man kids are filthy. Being able to stick a diaper into a ziploc can be the difference between life and death!

Now that i have wipes in my car, I find they are pretty darn useful.

I’m not quite ready to stick wipes in a holster on my belt however. That threatens my masculinity a bit.

i hated the skeletool when it first came out. i thought it was too plain and too expensive. after a while the look grew on me and i decided to try one. after i carried it for a while it soon became my favorite. 4 sizes of screwdrivers and the option to change them out, a knife and a pliers all rolled into a small, light package with a pocket clip. i am lost without it

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses to my question. I’ve learned a lot and gotten some good ideas.

I think there is a contingent of people who like the idea of looking macho when they talk about their EDCs. You know, the type that carry around a $300 dollar “tactical” bowie knife to occasionally open a box from Amazon. Those folks are not on this blog.

What I enjoyed most about this discussion was hearing about the different use cases that people have and getting a glimpse into their life and why they need a particular tool close at hand.

I just follow the Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” I’ve been doing that most of my life. I have a group of items that in my pockets at all times and then I have the items I keep in my truck. Between the two, 99% of the time I have the EDC items I might need for any situation. As to what items anybody might need, it is just going to depend on what that individual determines that they need on a daily basis. The items I keep in my truck may not be daily use items, but they are used frequently enough that they have earned permanent spots in my truck. Examples would be zip ties and rope. I don’t use them daily, but they do get used frequently, but it’s not something I am going to keep on my body.

Ha! I carry an epi-pen at all times. I also carry a classic Swiss army knife and a small leatherman type tool with a flashlight and pliers. My Swiss army knife has scissors, the thing I use the most. I usually carry a larger high intensity flashlight, though not always.

I-Phone, as mentioned above has multiple uses. When I make a plan in sketchup of a current project, I save it as a PDF and make sure it is downloaded to my phone (via dropbox, email, etc.) Then if I need a dimension or a part for the project, I can find it without making various lists.

To go with the epi-pen, in my car I carry a foldable cutlery set (like a swiss army knife but with fork and spoon) and in the trunk some food that has none of my many allergens in it. This is not the healthiest food for most people, but stores without refrigeration, like those little pudding packs. Plus water in a glass or stainless container. I’ve been stuck due to flooding, and also traffic, detours, etc. Much nicer experiences with food and water. Since I usually can’t eat at restaurants by the side of the road due to allergies.

In winter in my vehicle I carry really, really heavy gloves and those wool insert boots that are good to many degrees below zero. Last winter, I had to walk several miles in freezing weather due to a tire problem. Glad to have them, then. I carry blankets year round. First aid kit, too. Probably a few other things as well but don’t remember right now.

I may supplement this based on the activities of the day, but this is what I have on my person every day. Larger items, such as a first aid kit, roadside kit, larger flashlights and multitools, live in my truck.

I am a contractor by trade and my EDC basics are a lightweight under armor ball cap, Leather belt, (no plumbers crack!), tinted safety glasses, Kershaw Cryo, and a carpenter pencil. All Day Everyday. Cap and pencil optional on weekends 🙂
Ball cap holds my pencil where I like it and the glasses keep the sun out and save the dust from getting in my eyes. The amount I use my Cryo is insane. From cutting ceiling tiles, wiggling floor tile, stripping a wire, opening boxes etc.

Of course I run with a full van of tools on all my sites but if I can get a wire stripped, or a 2×4 marked etc without going back to the truck time saved = more $ in my pocket.

Depends on the situation. I do maintanence work, so my daily EDC includes a Super Tool 300 which replaced my original Super Tool after I lost it (and actually preferred because it was more compact), and either a pair of slip joint pliers, or mini ViseGrips in a sheath. This ca vary a bit, if I’m going to work at a specific task. Sometimes I carry an old Cold Steel TwistLock knife (the original with the Carbon V blade). Or a pair of the wonderful Vise-Grip multi tool with the 1/4 inch bit holder screwdriver, which I don’t carry around much anymore because they are all but irreplaceable.
However, for just running around town, I like to carry a smaller Leatherman, like a Wingman or Rebar along with a compact Space Pen and a pocket notebook. It is amazing how often you will use the pen and book if you always have them. Just spend a little extra and get a good notebook. The military surplus memo books are very well made, and reasonably priced compared to the field notes books. I like the Space Pen because it writes on damp, dirty, or even greasy paper, and is smudge resistant.
Of course, in this day and age, a cell phone is a given, but I’d say 90% of the time, if I could only carry one thing, it would be one of my Leathermans. Model depending on situation.

I have something similar to the Leatherman juice, older version. But I think I could simplify what I needed on the basis of what I used on an overwhelming major of times. Pliers ( work great as intended or tweezers) , a strong and sharp blade, bottle/can opener with flat head. 99% of needs taken care of there. But I would add seat belt cutter, carbide glass breaking tip, and carabiner( more carrying option other than clip) for the other 1%. EDC has such a wide definition because it varies on situation, environment, and stage of life.

I have been looking for somthing to throw in my camera bag that is TSA friendly. So far several are available but would be interested to see if there are other photographers out there with ideas. So far the best Ive seen is the piranaha. As any with the ability to use an apex tip is the most usefull. Also have others that have 2 bits stored in side ,and on device.